New Al Ain signing Tsukasa Shiotani looking forward to playing with Omar Abdulrahman

Denzil Pinto 19:51 16/06/2017
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  • Japan international Tsukasa Shiotani said he didn’t have to think twice about moving to Al Ain and insists it’s an honour getting to play alongside AFC Asian Player of the Year Omar Abdulrahman.

    The defensive midfielder became the first summer arrival at Hazza bin Zayed Stadium after the 28-year-old put pen to paper on a two-year deal from struggling J1 League outfit Sanfrecce Hiroshima.

    Despite winning three J1 League crowns and three Super Cup trophies in his five-year stay in Japan, he said the offer from Al Ain was one he simply couldn’t refuse.

    “When I heard there was a deal from Al Ain, I didn’t think too long about accepting because Al Ain are one of the best clubs in the continent,” he said during his unveiling late on Wednesday.

    He will share the same dressing room as Emirati star Abdulrahman and it’s something that he’s very much looking forward to.

    “There is not one player from Japan who doesn’t know about Omar Abdulrahman and, for me personally,  I’m very happy to be playing alongside Abdulrahman as he’s the best player in Asia,” he said.

    Shiotani, who can also play as a central defender, is wary of the competition in cementing a place in Zoran Mamic’s starting 11 but is confident he will feature in the Boss’ AFC Champions League quarter-final against Saudi Arabian giants Al Hilal on August 21 and September 11, as well as help the club return to domestic success.

    “Al Ain have a difficult challenge in the Champions League quarter-final against Al Hilal and I hope to be in the squad to play in those games,” said Shiotani, who has two caps for the Samurai Blue.

    Shiotani replaces Lee Myung-joo, who’s returned to South Korea for national service. Al Ain will also have to fill in their foreign quartet with Nasser Al Shamrani returning to Hilal from his six-month loan while Colombian winger Danilo Asprilla is set to move to China.

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